Conyers leads Greyhound pack over Whirlwinds

Alexis Cubit, Herald Sports Editor

Updated
10:54 pm CST, Friday, February 22, 2019

UP AND UNDER Floydada junior forward Garrett Hobbs hits the reverse layup to avoid the block by Gruver junior center Jalin Conyers during the Class 2A area championship on Friday night in Amarillo. Gruver won, 74-50. less

UP AND UNDER Floydada junior forward Garrett Hobbs hits the reverse layup to avoid the block by Gruver junior center Jalin Conyers during the Class 2A area championship on Friday night in Amarillo. Gruver won, ... more

Photo: Claudia Lusk/Plainview Herald

Photo: Claudia Lusk/Plainview Herald

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UP AND UNDER Floydada junior forward Garrett Hobbs hits the reverse layup to avoid the block by Gruver junior center Jalin Conyers during the Class 2A area championship on Friday night in Amarillo. Gruver won, 74-50. less

UP AND UNDER Floydada junior forward Garrett Hobbs hits the reverse layup to avoid the block by Gruver junior center Jalin Conyers during the Class 2A area championship on Friday night in Amarillo. Gruver won, ... more

Photo: Claudia Lusk/Plainview Herald

Conyers leads Greyhound pack over Whirlwinds

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AMARILLO – The TABC Class 2A, No. 9-ranked Gruver Greyhounds hit a stroke of good luck when junior Jalin Conyers transferred in from West Texas High School. The 6-foot-6 post player helped to lead West Texas to a state championship last year and could do the same for the Greyhounds this year.

Conyers scored 32 points, four shy of his career high, to lift the Greyhounds over the No. 24-ranked Floydada Whirlwinds, 74-50, for the Class 2A Area championship on Friday night at Amarillo High School.

The Whirlwinds tried to double team Conyers, but the junior found ways around the Whirlwinds’ 6-footers in sophomore Quincy Gonzales, junior Garrett Hobbs and senior Caden Britt.

“We held on to him for as long as we could, but he’s a special kid and has a bright future ahead of him,” Whirlwinds head coach Adam Zepeda said.

The Whirlwinds opened the game with the lead, but never got out by more than two. Senior guard Andrew Vega helped the Whirlwinds to move the ball down the court quickly to overcome the Greyhounds’ press.

“Andrew’s tough. He’s been a big part of our program and he takes care of the ball,” Zepeda said about his senior starting point guard. “I expect so much out of him and am so hard on him because I demand so much from him. He’s been great and will be missed dearly.”

When the Greyhounds gained a three-point lead late in the first quarter, Britt’s free throw and Hobbs’ fastbreak layup tied the game at 15.

Enter Conyers.

Within the first 20 seconds of the second quarter, Conyers knocked in a basket and had two slam dunks to start the Greyhounds’ 10-2 run. Gonzales used a 3-pointer off a feed from junior guard Marcus Perez to end the Whirlwinds’ nearly four-point scoring drought, but the Greyhounds stayed ahead for the rest of the contest.

The Whirlwinds attempted to put a run together at the end of the third quarter, but Conyers used an outlet pass from junior guard Hunter Haynes to net a 3-pointer for 22 third-quarter points.

During the fourth quarter, the Greyhounds got the 16-13 scoring edge, the closest the Whirlwinds had played them since the first quarter.

“Once we figured out just drive to the basket, we saw some good things. I think early on, we were too passive, so we started getting aggressive,” Zepeda said. “Once we figured it out in the second half, we were able to push a little bit, but they hit some big shots and made some key shots down the stretch and were able to pull away from us.”

Hobbs ended his junior campaign with a team-best 15 points and five rebounds with Gonzales posting 13 points and five rebounds.

Floydada closes out the season with a 25-9 record and loses six seniors in Vega, Britt, Jerry Reyes, Angel Cervera, Hunter Smith and Noah Mendez.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

Jalin Conyers (G)

32 points, 14 rebounds, 5 blocks, 3 steals, 1 assist

UP NEXT

Gruver faces Wheeler in the regional quarterfinals at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in Panhandle.